Accomack County, Virginia
Accomack County, formerly Accomac Shire, is a U.S. county located in the Commonwealth of Virginia. As of 2010, the population was 33,164.http://www.coopercenter.org/demographics. Weldon Cooper Center 2010 Census Count Retrieved January 26, 2011 Its county seat is Accomac. Accomack and Northampton Counties comprise the Eastern Shore of Virginia, part of the Delmarva Peninsula. History An English expedition landed in the region in 1603, some years before the Jamestown Colony. Captain John Smith visited again in 1608. The native Accawmacke nation numbered around 2000, and were governed by a paramount chief Debedeavon, also known as "The Laughing King". He became a staunch ally to the English, and bestowed them several large land grants within his dwindling territory. Accomac Shire was established in 1634 as one of the original eight shires of Virginia. The shire's name comes from the Native American word Accawmack, meaning "on the other side". In 1642 the name was changed to Northampton by the English, to eliminate "heathen" names in the New World. Northampton was split into two counties in 1663. The northern section assumed the original Accomac name, the southern, Northampton. In 1940, the General Assembly officially added a "k" to the end of the county's name to arrive at its current spelling. The name of "Accomack County" first appeared in the Decisions of the United States Board on Geographical Names in 1943.Topping, Mary, comp., Approved Place Names in Virginia: An Index to Virginia Names Approved by the United States Board on Geographic Names through 1969 (Charlottesville, VA: University Press of Virginia, 1971), 1. The first Sheriff in the United States, William Stone, was appointed to serve Accomack County in 1634 . In 1670, the Virginia Colony's Royal Governor William Berkeley abolished Accomac County, but the Virginia General Assembly re-created it in 1671.Accomack County, Virginia Genealogy, History and Records Unlike most of Virginia, during the Civil War, the county was not under Confederate control, but held by the forces of the United States government . Geography According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of , the largest county in Virginia, of which is land and (65.25%) is water. The state of Delaware is roughly 36 miles away from the Virginia and Maryland state-line in Greenbackville. Transportation *Accomack County Airport Adjacent counties * Somerset County, Maryland - northwest * Worcester County, Maryland - northeast * Northampton County, Virginia - south * Middlesex County, Virginia - west (water boundary only, in Chesapeake Bay) * Lancaster County, Virginia - west (water boundary only, in Chesapeake Bay) * Northumberland County, Virginia - west (water boundary only, in Chesapeake Bay) National protected areas * Assateague Island National Seashore (part) * Chincoteague National Wildlife Refuge (part) * Martin National Wildlife Refuge (part, Watts Island portion) * Wallops Island National Wildlife Refuge Demographics As of the census of 2010, there were 33,164 people, 15,299 households, and 10,388 families residing in the county. The population density was 84 people per square mile (32/km²). There were 19,550 housing units at an average density of 43 per square mile (17/km²). The racial makeup of the county was 65.3% White, 28.1% Black or African American, 0.4% Native American, 0.6% Asian, 0.1% Pacific Islander, 3.9% from other races, and 1.6% from two or more races. 8.6% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race. Black or African American (28%), English American (15%), German (9%), Irish (9%) and Mexican (4%) . There were 15,299 households out of which 28.90% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 49.20% were married couples living together, 14.40% had a female householder with no husband present, and 32.10% were non-families. 27.70% of all households were made up of individuals and 12.50% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.45 and the average family size was 2.96. In the county, the population was spread out with 24.30% under the age of 18, 8.20% from 18 to 24, 26.20% from 25 to 44, 24.70% from 45 to 64, and 16.70% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 39 years. For every 100 females there were 94.30 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 90.00 males. Accomack and adjacent Northampton County are the two poorest counties in the Commonwealth of Virginia.Accomack and Northampton County EC on USDA Rural Development Towns *Accomac *Belle Haven, Partially within Northampton County as well *Bloxom *Chincoteague *Hallwood *Keller *Melfa *Onancock *Onley *Painter *Parksley *Saxis *Tangier *Wachapreague Education The county is served by Accomack County Public Schools. The schools in this district are: Elementary schools *Accawmacke Elementary School *Chincoteague Elementary School *Kegotank Elementary School *Metompkin Elementary School *Pungoteague Elementary School Middle schools *Arcadia Middle School *Nandua Middle School High schools *Arcadia High School *Chincoteague High School *Nandua High School *Tangier Combined School *Badger Technical Center Media The county maintains and is the licensee of eight television translator stations on two towers, with four located on a tower off US 13 in unincorporated Mappsville licensed to Onancock, and the other four licensed to unincorporated Craddockville on a tower near Route 178. Each translator tower has four signals to relay the signals of Hampton Roads's major network affiliates to the county, including WAVY, WHRO, WTKR and WVEC. Meanwhile, Fox programming via WVBT is provided by WPMC-CA (Channel 36) from the Mappsville tower, a station owned by LIN Media, the parent company of WAVY/WVBT. Notable residents *William Anderson, born in Accomack County, United States Congressman from Pennsylvania *Thomas Evans, (c.1755-1815), born in Accomack County, United States Congressman from Virginia *George T. Garrison, (1835–1889), born in Accomack County, member of Virginia state legislature and United States Congressman from Virginia *James Hamilton, (c.1710-1783), born in Accomack County, lawyer and mayor of Philadelphia *James Henry, (1731–1804), born in Accomack County, lawyer and delegate to the Continental Congress *Henry A. Wise, (1806-1876), Minister to Brazil, Governor of Virginia and Confederate General See also *National Register of Historic Places listings in Accomack County, Virginia References External links *Official Website of Accomack County, VA *Accomack County, Virginia Genealogy, History and Records Category:Counties of Virginia Category:Accomack County, Virginia Category:Established in 1671 Category:Virginia shires